Diamond ring stolen off the hand of a 90-year-old man while he received treatment at Liverpool Royal Hospital

Joe Santageli, 90. His daughter Sue has launched an appeal on social media to find her dad's ring which was stolen from his fingers while he received treatment at the Liverpool Royal Hospital

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A ring has been stolen from the fingers of a 90-year-old man while he was treated in hospital.

Joe Santangeli was taken to the Royal Liverpool Hospital for stitches earlier this month after he fell and cut the back of his head.

The pensioner was kept in the hospital overnight on September 16 and treated on the ground floor observation ward.

But when he returned to Liverpool’s Arron Lodge nursing home around 6pm the next day his ring had disappeared.

The ring, a gold band with a diamond on top, belonged to Joe’s father.

It has only left the naval veteran’s finger once in the past 40 years when he had an operation to treat his lung cancer in 1990.

Joe’s daughter, Sue Santangeli-Renshaw, has launched a desperate appeal to find the ring and return it to her father.

The 55-year-old from Kensington said: “He’s so upset about it. He keeps saying: ‘Look at my empty hands’.

“Everybody who knows my dad knows about his ring. He wore it with pride. It’s his badge of honour. It’s been a part of him for so long it feels like he’s lost his hand.”

Joe has Alzheimer’s and cannot remember when the ring was taken off his hands.

But his daughter is adamant the ring was taken by someone as it could not have fallen off his finger.

Joe Santageli, 90, with his daughter Sue Santangeli-Renshaw, 55, from Kensington. Sue has launched an appeal on social media to find her dad's ring which was stolen from his fingers while he recieved treatment at the Liverpool Royal Hospital

She said: “It couldn’t have come off by itself and he wouldn’t have taken it off. It’s left a large indent on his finger so it wouldn’t have come over his knuckle without trying [to pull it off].”

The ring, which is of huge sentimental value to the Santangeli family, was going to be handed onto one of Joe’s seven grandchildren or four great-grandchildren.

Mum-of-three Sue said: “It’s very sad that someone could do this and take advantage of a vulnerable 90-year-old man.

“I just want it back so we can put a smile on his face.”

Sue posted a picture of her dad and his ring on Facebook which has been shared over 2,400 times.

She has also reported the theft to the Royal and to Merseyside Police who are both investigating the incident.

A spokesperson for the Trust said: “Mr Santangeli’s missing ring has been reported to us and we are investigating the matter.

“We understand that the loss of an item with such sentimental value will be upsetting for Mr Santangeli and his family and we support any appeal to find the missing jewellery.”

A Merseyside Police spokesperson also said: “This is a despicable crime which has left the victim very upset and I would urge anyone with information that could help our enquiry to get in touch.”

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to contact Merseyside Police on the 101 number or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.